Automatic circuit breaker



April 25, 1939. M. K. HINDE AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Aug. 2. 1537Patented Apr. 25, ,1939

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

, cult breakers in general, and has particular, relerence to a cirucitbreaker adapted to be mounted on an automobile for thepurpose ofautornati- 5 cally breaking the electric circuit oi the automobilewhenever the automobile becomes either o inverted or tilted atadangerous angle.

In the prior art circuit breakers have been applied to automobiles forthis purpose, but the break in the circuit upon inversionor tilt of theautomobile occurs only while the vehicle is in-' verted or tilted andbecomes closed, when the vehicle is returned to proper position. Thisfrequently results in setting tire to, the vehicle, be-

This application is a continuation in part oi my Patent 2,099,483,November 16, 1937,

In the drawing: 7 so Figure l is an elevation of a preferred form oi theinvention, part oi the enclosing casing being broken away toshow detailsof construction; Figure2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 otFigure l; f

as Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-4 of Figure l; andI Figure 4 is a vertical section taken length through a modification oithatoi the apparatus illustrated in Figure 3. t u Rolex-ring to thedrawing, in which similar parts are designated by like numerals: I

o The elements comprising the circuit breaker are enclosed in the casingof insulating material.

To facilitate disclosure, however, only two or the 4s walls of thiscasing are shown in the drawing.

Therear wall I, issuit'ably secured at right anglestoasidewall3,bymeansoitheangiebrackets I and 3.

' A cylindrical container 3 for a conducting liqgo uid, such as mercury,is suitablyuseeured to'the back wall 5 by ,iiioa r astrap in, having itsopposite ends bent to form outwardly directed flanges II, which aresecured to'the wall 5 by means of bolts l2. Only one oi theseiianges 5.and bolts appear in the drawing; However, the

t (Cl. 180-82) Thisinvention relates to improvements in cirinvention isnot concerned with any particular means {or securing the container tothe wall 5. The container 3 comprises the lower part i 3 of conductingmaterial screw-threaded at its upper end, to an insulating part ll. Thebottom 5 I! of the container is provided with an aperture I, to receivea conducting bolt I'l, locked tothe bottom i by means oi the lock not i3and washer It. A second nut 20, screw-threaded on to the bolt I], isused to clamp. a contact terminal 2| 10 against washer l3 to'corinect itto the lower part l3 of the container 3. The upper part I4 is made oiinsulating material and has the head 22 there- 'of apertured axially toreceive the conducting member 23, which is provided with a head 24, i6seated in a counter-sink 25, formed in said head 22.

Thelower part of the member 23 is screwthreaded to receive a nut 26which serves to clamp the conducting disk 21 against ashoulder formed onthe member 23. The disk 21 is or the samejdiameteras the interior of thecylindrical member 9 and serves as a contact element between theconducting part i3 01' the cylinder and the conducting member 23, whenthecylin- 2 der is moved from a vertical to a horizontal po sition, andthe mercury 28 contained in the cylinder closes the circuit between theconducting part II and the member 23 through the disk 21. The upper endof the member 23 is axially bored 30 and screw-threaded to receive aconducting screw 23, used to clamp the contact terminal 30 against awasher 3|, which is in conducting contact with the said member 23.

' To prevent grounding otxthe circuit by splashing of the mercury in thecontainer 3, dueto the passage or the vehicle over rough roads, andwithout any tilting of the cylinder into horizontal position. the lowerend of the member 23 is provided with an externally screw-threadedprojection 32 to which is detachably connected 0. rod 33 of insulatingmaterial. Spaced apart along the rod 33 is a series of disks 34, "and33, suitably secured in position by means oi screws 31. The disks 34, 38and 38 are beveled downwardly i5 sons to deflect downwardly in thecylinder 3. any mercury which might come in contact with the beveledperiphery of these disks by vertical splashing oi the mercury.Preferably the disks increase in diameter with their distances from G0the bottom of the cylinder, so as to eilectively preventshort-circuitingot the system by splashing of the mercury due to the eof the vehicle over rough roads;

Centactterminalu isconnectedbyawire ll to a conducting plate It,suitably secured to the back wall 5 oi the casing. A second wire 44extends irom the same plate to the ammeter oi the system. A clamping nut42 secures the terminals of the wires 38 and 4| in electrical contactwith the plate 39.

The plate 39 has suitably pivoted thereto, an armature 43 oi conductingmaterial and adapted to rest normally by gravity against a stop 44suitably secured to and projecting from the rear wall 5 of the casing.The armature 43 terminates at its free end in a hook 45, adapted toengage the upper free end oi va conducting strap 4, pivoted at its lowerend to swing about the shank 41 oi a pivot bolt suitably secured as bynuts 4! and II,

to and projecting from the rear wall 5 oi the easing. A contact terminal40, clamped betwem the two nuts 48 and iii, is connected by a wire II toa source of electric supply.

A strong wire spring 52 is wrapped around the nuts 49 and 50, whichsecure the pivot bolt 41 to the rear wall 5. One branch of the spring 52extends along the inner face oi the rear wall 5 into contact with a stop53 suitably secured to said wall 5. The other branch of the spring 51extends upwardly in the casing and is bent at its upper end to form atransverse member 54, which contacts with the inner face oi the strap 44and forces the upper end of that strap into electrical contact with thehook 45 on the end oi the armsture 43.

The apparatus includes an electrical magnet 55, suitably secured as byangle bracket 5! to the rear wall 5 of the casing. One terminal oi themagnet 55 is connected by a wire 51 to the contact terminal 30 at theupper end of the liquid container 9. The other terminal oi theelectrical magnet is connected by a wire 54 to ground.

It will be apparent irom Figure 1 oi the drawing, that when the magnet55 becomes energized, the armature 43 will be drawn irom its stop 44 torelease the strap 46; and the spring I will cause this strap 46 to moveagainst the projecting end 59 of a re-setting plunger 60, which isslidably mounted in an externally screw-threaded collar GI, having aflange 62 at its outer end clamped against the outer face oi wall 6 bymeans oi the nut 63. The end 6| is screw-threaded to receive the nut 64,which acts as a stop to limit the outward movement of the plunger ill inthe collar 6|. A compression spring 65 is interposed between the fiangeB2 and a handle 86 on the plunger to maintain the plunger normallyretracted.

The circuit closer shown in Figure 4, comprises a cylindrical container61, made oi glass or other insulating material. The upper part oi thecontainer is closed by acover l4 oi conducting material, centrallyapertured and counter-sunk to receive the conducting member N. A rod 33'oi insulating material is secured to the inner end of the member 69, andis provided with the antisplash members 34', 35' and 38', secured to therod by the screws 31'.

In this form oi container, the wire it is clamped to an annular band 14oi conducting material seated in an annular recess II and having ascrew-threaded conducting rod II projecting through the wall of thecontainer II to iorm with the washer l3 and nut 14, a clamping terminalfor the wire 38.

The device, when in operative position, is suitably secured to any partof an automobile, with the container 9 or H, as the case may be, invertical position. Referring now to the iorm oi the invention shown inFigure 1, it will be apparent that when the conducting strap 44 is inlocked engagement with the armature 41. the circuit controlling theoperation oi the automobile is completed through wire ll, strap 44,armature 43, and wire 40. In the event oi such overturn oi theautomobile that the container becomes horizontal, it will be evidentthat the mercury II in the container will close the circuit through theconducting part ll, disk 21, the wire Bl, electromagnet 54, wire 8|, toground, the other terminal oi the container being connected by wire IIto the armature 43.

Upon closing oi the circuit through the magnet the armature 48 becomesattracted toward the core oi the magnet, and immediately releases theconducting strap 4! to break the circuit, as well as the circuit throughthe magnet. These circuits remain broken until the automobile isrestored to upright position, and until the strap 48 is iorced back intooperative engagement with the armature 43, by operation oi the plungerll.

In the manufacture oi this device, it is particularly essential that thehook part 48 oi the armature shall be inclined suiilciently to preventdisengagement oi the armature irom the strap 40 by any movements oi thevehicle other than that which causes energization oi the magnet 55. Theupper end of the strap 48 must be correspondingly shaped to ensure goodlooking and electrical contact with the hook 4!.

Numerous variations may doubtless be devised by persons skilled in theart without departing irom the principles oi my invention. 1, thereiore,desire no limitations to be imposed on my invention, except such as areindicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A vehicle having a main electric circuit system including a source oicurrent, a circuit maker and breaker ior said system comprising asupport, an electro-magnet, an armature ior said magnet pivoted at oneend to said support and having a hook at its free end, a stop iorsupporting said armature normally in substantially horizontalposition,means ior connecting the pivoted end oi said armature to said source, aconducting strap connected at one end to said source and having itsother end normally in locked engagement with said hook to close the maincircuit oi said system through said armature and means, yielding meansior moving said strap out oi the path oi said book when the armature isremoved irom strap locking position by energization oi said magnet, andmeans connected at one end to the pivoted end oi said armature andgrounded at its other end through said electro-magnet and operable onlyby overturn oi the vehicle to substantially horizontal position toenergize said magnet and move the armature irom locking engagement withsaid strap, whereby the circuit system is broken and the magnetdeenergized.

2. A vehicle having a main electric circuit system lnlcuding a source oicurrent, a circuit maker and breaker ior said system comprising asupport, an electro-magnet, an armature ior said magnet pivoted at oneend to said support and having a hook at its iree end, a stop iorsupporting said armature normally in substantially horizontal position,means ior connecting the pivoted end oi said armature to said source, aconducting strap connected at one end to said source and having itsother end normally in locked engagement with said hook to close thecircuit oi said system through said armature and means, yielding meansior moving said strap out oi the path of said hook when the armature isremoved from strap locking position by energization of said magnet,means connected at one end to the pivoted end of said armature andgrounded at its other end through said electro-magnet and operable onlyby overturn of the vehicle to substantially horizontal position toenergize said magnet and move the armature from locking engagement withsaid strap, whereby the circuit system is broken and the magnetdeenersized, and means for moving said strap into locking engagementwith said armature upon restoration 0! the vehicle to normal operativeposition.

3 A vehicle having a main electric circuit system inlcuding a source ofcurrent, a circuit maker and breaker for said system omprising asupport, an electro-ma net, an armature for said magnet pivoted at oneend to said support and having a hook at its free end, a stop forsupporting said armature normally in substantially horizontal position,means for connecting the pivoted end 01' said armature to said source. aconducting strap connected at one end to said source and having itsother end normally in locked engagement with said hook to close thecircuit of said system through said armature and means, yielding meansfor moving said strap out of the path 01' said hook when he armature isremoved from strap locking pos ion by energization of said magnet, meansconnected at one end to the pivoted end of said armature and grounded atits other end through said electro-magnet and operable only by overturnof the vehicle to substantially horizontal position to energize saidmagnet and move the armature from locking engagement with said strap,whereby the circuit system is broken and the magnet deenergized, and aplunger slidably mounted on said support to move said strap intoposition for locking engagement with said armature.

MARION KELLY HINDE.

